Valve lever and latch construction for glassware forming machines



Aug. 19, 1969 F. A. SARKOZY 3.451,903

. VALVE LEVER AND LATCH CONSTRUCTION FOR GLASSWARE FORMING MACHINES Filed July 8, 1966 y 2 ,Sheets-Sheet l Armiwfrs.

Aug. 19 1969 F A SARKOZY 3,461,903'

VALVE LEVER AND LATCH CONSTRUCTION FOR GLASSWAR lORMING MACHTNFS v2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l vFiled July 8, 1966 United States Patent O U.S. Cl. 137-315 10 Claims This invention relates to glassware forming machines, and deals more particularly with an improved valve lever and latch construction for use in conjunction with the valves and timing drum of such a machine.

A general object of the present invention is to provide an improved valve lever construction for a glassware forming machine which does not require the use of a conventional pivot pin to pivotally secure the rear, or inner end, of the valve lever to the valve body.

Another general object of the present invention is to provide an improved valve lever construction wherein the valve lever is restrained at its forward end, rather than its rear pivoted end, so as to be readily removed for replacement or repair without disturbing adjacent levers, and without disassembling a major part of the timing mechanism of a glassware forming machine, with the result that the downtime of such a machine is significantly reduced over that possible with prior art lever constructions.

Still another general object of the present invention is to provide an improved latch construction wherein groups of latches can quickly be removed for replacement or repair without disturbing a major part of the timing mechanisrn of a glassware forming machine, with the result that the downtime of such a machine due to worn latches is significantly reduced over that possible with prior art latch constructions.

A still further object to the present invention is to provide a valve lever which is well adapted to low cost, high quantity production, which lever is nevertheless relatively l maintenance free during long periods of use as a result of its novel construction and the manner in which it is mounted to the valve body for pivotal movement.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide an improved latchconstruction which permits the latch to be manually released from the rear of the glassware forming machine and in front of the valve block without the necessity for the operator having to reach below the latch block and thereby create a safety hazard from the rotating timing drum.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a valve lever construction which utilizes the oil laden exhaust air in the valve body to lubricate the pivoted end of said lever.

The drawings show a preferred embodiment of the invention and such embodiment will be described, but it will be understood that various changes may be made from the construction disclosed, and that the drawings and description are not to be construed as delining or limiting the scope of the invention, the claims forming a part of this specication being relied upon for that purpose.

Of the drawings:

FIG. l is a vertical sectional view through the lever portion of the valve body of a glassware forming machine showing a valve lever and latch constructed in accordance with the present invention, and also showing a portion of the timing drum used to operate the lever and latch.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a portion of the valve body of FIG. l showing several levers and latches in various operative positions.

3,461,903 Patented Aug. 19., 1969 ice FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the lever shown in FIG. l.

FIG. 4 is a rear perspective view of several latches together with their associated latch block.

FIG. 5 is a rear view, also in perspective, of the pivoted ends of the levers, and showsl in detail the construction of the generally U-shaped recess for receiving these levers.

In glassware forming machines generally, and more particularly in the type of machine known to the trade as the Hartford LS. Machine, a series of pneumatic control valves are operated in sequence to control various operations on a gob of glass in order to form the same into a glass bottle or the like. Each of these valves is typically operated by a valve lever which is pivotally mounted in the valve body, and has a latch associated therewith in order to retain the valve lever in position for opening or closing a particular Valve for a predetermined dwell time. A timing drum is rotatably supported beneath the levers, their associated latches, and carries a plurality of camming buttons for sequentially operating said levers and latches. It should be noted that all of the levers and latches are subject to varying'degrees of wear and the important features ofthe present invention provide an improved lever and latch construction wherein these members are rendered less susceptible to wear, and provide a convenient mounting meansvfor these novel levers and latches so that they can be conveniently removed for replacement or repair with a minimum downtime of the glassware forming machine.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, FIG. l shows a lower portion of the main valve body, or block 10, which defines an air supply manifold (not shown) of conventional design for selective communication with suitable internal passageways for delivering air under pressure to the various mechanisms of the glassware forming machine. Each such air passageway has associated therewith a pneumatic control valve a lower portion of which is indicated generally at 16. The valve shown has an upper portion which is moved vertically upwardly to an open position by the exertion of an upward force on the lower tappet face 18 of the valve 16. The lower portion of the valve 16 is so constructed as to exhaust air into an exhaust manifold 20 provided for this purpose adjacent the lower rear corner of the valve body 10. While the construction of the valve 16 will not be described in great detail herein, it is to be noted that exhaust air is present in the chamber 20 during operation of the glassware forming machine and it should be noted that this exhaust air contains a significant quantity of vaporized oil or other lubricating material. Finally, it should of course be noted that the valve body 10 contains a plurality of such valves 16 and that these are arranged in longitudinally spaced relation in a typical Hartford LS. Machine.

The longitudinally extending portion of the valve body which denes the exhaust manifold 20 is attached to the valve body 10 by a plurality of screws, as indicated at 21. The exhaust manifold defining portion thus comprises the lower rear part of the valve body 10 and will be seen to include front and rear depending legs 22 and 24 respectively, Which serve to separate the levers from one another in a conventional manner. An angled (or L-shaped cross section) lever support plate 26 is attached to the rear depending legs 24, 24 by a plurality of screws 28, 28 as best shown in FIG. 5 so as to define a plurality of forwardly open recesses with the underside of the exhaust manifold portion 20, one for each of the valve levers 30 to be described. Still with reference to the support plate 26, the forwardly projecting portion thereof will be seen to carry a cushion or pad 32 adjacent its outer or forward end, and a hardened steel plate 34 adjacent the corner of the L-shaped support plate 26. The upstanding portion of the L-shaped plate 26 cooperates with the hardened steel plate 34 and with the underside of the exhaust portion of the valve body 10 to define the aforementioned U- shaped recess for the pivoted end of the valve lever which will now be described.

Each valve lever 30 is of laminated construction as best shawn in FIG. 3, comprising three generally fiat, similarly shaped center plates 36, 36 and two smaller plates 38, 38 on each side thereof. The center plates 36, 36 extend forwardly beyond the forward portion of the side plates 38, 38 as shown in FIG. 3 and extend rearwardly beyond the side plates 38, 38 so as to be received in one of the above described lever recesses provided for this purpose and best shown in FIG. 5. The rear or pivoted end portion of each of said levers comprises a circular segment having a diameter substantially equal to the spacing between the hardened steel plate 34, and the underside of the exhaust manifold defining portion 20 of the valve body 10. Preferably, and as shown, the circular segment is somewhat greater than 180 degrees in circular extent and is tangent to the bottom side edge of the lever 30 as best shown in FIG. l. As so constructed, the lever 30 will be seen to bear against the entire surface of the cushion 32 when said lever occupies the rest position shown in FIG. l.

Still with reference to FIG. 3, the side plates 38, 38 will be seen to define, at their forward ends, convex guide surafces 39, 39 of circular contour. Said guide surfaces have a radius substantially equal to the overall length of a lever and engage suitable guide means on the valve body to be described in greater detail hereinbelow. Said guide means serves to prevent said lever from moving forwardly out of the above described lever recess adjacent the rear end of rthe valve body 10.

The plates 36 and 38 of each lever are pinned together as shown at 40, 40 in FIG. 3. As so constructed, each of the plates 36 and 38 comprising the lever 30` can be stamped and subsequently combined to form the lever shown, which lever can be subsequently hardened at critical areas susceptible to wear after the lever has been so assembled. Still with reference to the laminated lever construction, FIG. 2 shows a plurality of such levers mounted in the valve body with the side plates 38, 38, which -define the side portions of said levers, in transverse contact with one another for a purpose to be described hereinbelow. While the laminated form is presently preferred, it is to be understood that the lever can be of hollow or solid one-piece construction of the same external configuration.

Each lever 30 is operated in a conventional manner by a rotating adjacent timing drum 42 having a plurality of camming buttons as indicated at 44 for lifting the lever 30, hence lifting the valve 16 by engagement with the tappet face 18 thereof. Means is provided for latching the lever 30 in its raised position for a predetermined dwell period, at the end of which period a second camming button 46 disengages the latch means allowing the lever 30 to return to the rest position shown. In accordance with the present invention a latch block 48 is attached to the forward face of the main valve body 10 by a plurality of screws 50, 50. While the conventional Hartford I. S. Machine includes many more levers, and associated latches, it will be seen from FIG. 2 `that the latch block 48 shown accommodates six latches, which are indicated generally at 52, 52.

As best shown in FIG. 4, the latch block 48 defines a plurality of downwardly and rearwardly open recesses each of which is adapted to receive a latch 52. A pivot pin 54 is received in aligned openings in the recess-defining portions of `the vlave block 48 and in the latches so as to pivotally support the latches 52, 52 as shown. The latch block 48 shown is also provided with a grease fitting 56 and defines a suitable internal bore 58 for distributing grease or oil to Ithe various latches as best shown in FIG. 4.

In accordance with the present invention, the depending recess-defining portions of the latch block 48 extend downwardly beyond the lower surface of the valve body 10 and define rearwardly facing concave guide surfaces 49, 49 for engaging the correspondingly contoured forwardly racing guide surfaces 39, 39 of the valve levers 30, 30. While one such concave guide surafce 49 is provided between adjacent latches 52, 52, it will be apparent from FIG. 2 that each of said guide surfaces 49, 49 engage the adjacent convex guide surfaces 39, 39 on the two adjacent levers 30, 30 associated with these latches 52, 52. Since the adjacent levers 30, 30 are in transverse engagement with one another, their adjacent forwardly facing convex guide surfaces 39, 39 will be seen to engage a lsingle latch block defined guide surface 49.

As so constructed, the levers 30, 30 are securely held against forward movement out of their forwardly open recesses, and at the same time restrained against side-toside movement so that each is pivotally supported for movement about a fixed pivot axis without the need for any conventional pivot pin or the like. As so arranged, removal of the latch block 48 from the valve body 10 permits ready removal of any one of the associated levers 30, 30 without the necessity for removal, or other manipulation of any longitudinally extending pivot pin at the rear of the main valve body 10 as in prior art valve lever constructions.

Turning now to a more complete description of the latch 52, FIGS. l and 4 show each latch as comprising an L--shaped member having a depending leg 62 which defines a rearwardly open notch y60 for engaging the forwardly projecting center portion 61 of its associated lever 30. Each depending latch leg 62 also has a lower end portion which is adapted to be engaged by an unlatch button 46 on the timing drum 42. Each L-shaped latch also includes a forwardly projecting leg 64 which extends through an opening defined for this purpose in the latch block 48 yto permit manual unlatching of a lever without requiring the operator to reach underneath the latch block and chancing personal injury due to the rotating camming buttons 44 and 46. Biasing means is provided for urging each latch 52 toward an engaged position with its associated lever, and preferably said biasing means comprises a compression spring 66 acting between the latch block 48 and the forwardly projecting leg 64 as shown in FIGS. l and 4.

Finally, and still with reference to the latch construction shown, a grease cup 68 is provided above the opening in the latch for receiving the pivot pin 5'4, and a short bore 70 is provided from this grease cup 68 downwardly to the pivot pin opening as best shown in FlG. 4. The grease cup 68 of each latch 52 will be seen to be arranged adjacent and below the opening 158 in the latch block 48 so that grease fed into the latch block through the grease fitting 56 is distributed to each of the latch pivots in a very efficient manner.

The pivoted rear end of each lever 30 is lubricated by oil from the oil laden atmosphere in the exhaust manifold 20 through a bore 19 provided for this purpose in the manifold-defining portion of the valve body 10 as best shown in FIG. 5. Thus, the levers and latches are both lubricated in the construction described herein. It should also be noted that the lever guide surfaces 49, 49 defined on the latch block 48 will also receive some lubrication from the cups 68, 68 for as the cups are filled they will spill some oil rearwardly along the upper surfaces of the various latches to lubricate both the surfaces 49, 49 and the notches 60, 60'.

'In conclusion, it should be noted that the abovedescribed valve lever and latch construction permits a worn latch to be very quickly removed for replacement or repair. The latch block 48 is held in place by only two screws 50, 50 and removal thereof allows some six (6) latches to be worked on. If only one latch needs to be removed, the novel design shown permits removal of the latch pivot pin 54 without completely disassembling the remaining five (5) latches in the affected latch block 48. More particularly, each latch 52 has a forwardly extending web 63 on its depending leg 62 which will be urged against a laterally extending bar 53 on the latch block 48 by its associated latch return spring 66. As so constructed, each latch will be seen to be releasably held in the latch lblock by its associated spring 66 and its web-shaped lower leg 62 in conjunction with the bar 53 on the latch block 48 even after removal .of the latch pivot pin 54.

While the levers 30, 30 are normally removed forwardly, requiring that an associated latch block 48 be removed prior to removing a worn lever, the latch block can be readily removed by its two mounting screws 50, 50 without disturbing the various latches themselves. Thus, worn levers or latches can be quickly and easily removed for replacement or repair with a minimum downtime of the overall machine.

The invention claimed is:

1. ln a glassware forming machine of the type having a main valve body in which a plurality of pneumatic control valves are arranged for timed operation in response to rotation of an adjacent timing drum, the combination comprising a plurality of valve operating levers, each of said levers having a lirst portion which is engageable with a tappet face on one of said valves and a second portion which is engageable with a camming button on said timing drum, each of said levers having a rear end portion which is slidably received in a forwardly open recess defined in said valve body, said lever rear end portions being so shaped as to permit limited pivotal movement of said levers as well as said forward sliding movement thereof, and guide means carried by said valve body for engaging the forward ends of said levers during said limited pivotal movement thereof so as to restrain said levers from moving forwardly out of said recess.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 further characterized by a plurailty of latches each of which defines a notch for selectively engaging one of said levers to 'hold said lever in an upwardly cammed or raised position, and at least one latch block for pivotally supporting said latches, said guide means comprising rearwardly facing concave guide surfaces on said latch block.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein each valve lever has at least one convex forward end surface for engaging at least one of said concave latch block guide surfaces, and wherein each of said forward lever ends also includes a projecting portion so shaped as to engage said notch in its associated latch when said lever is raised.

|4. The combination set forth in claim 3 wherein each latch is pivotally supported in said latch block'between two adjacent concave guide surfaces, and wherein eagch lever forward end has two convex guide surfaces arranged on either side of said latch engageable projecting portion thereof.

5. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein each latch is generally L-shaped having a depending leg which defines said lever engageable notch 'and a forwardly projecting leg which extends through an opening in said latch block so as to be accessible from the front of said valve body so that said levers can be manually latched and unlatched.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 further characterized by spring biasing means acting between said forwardly projecting latch legs and said latch block to urge said latches into engagement with their associated levers, and said depending latch legs having lower ends which are adapted to be engaged by camming buttons on said timing drum for unlatching said raised levers after a predetermined dwell period. l

7. The combination set forth in claim 6 and further characterized by a latch pivot pin which extends through said latch block and through openings in each of said latches, said pin being removable and said L-shaped latches being so related to said latch block that each latch is releasably held in said latch block by said spring biasing means when said pin is so removed, whereby a single latch can be conveniently removed from said latch block without complete removal of the adjacent latches in said latch block.

8. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said valve levers are wider than said latches with said forwardly facing convex guide surfaces being defined on transversely extending side portions of said levers, said side portions of adjacent levers being in contact with one another so that each latch block defined concave guide surface engages the adjacent lever defined guide surfaces of two adjacent levers and so that said levers are restrained against side-to-side movement in said valve body.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said forwardly open lever recess in said valve lbody is defined in part by an L-shaped plate having an upstanding portion attached to said valve body and including a forwardly projecting portion which supports said levers in a rest position wherein said second lever portions can be engaged by said camming buttons as aforesaid.

10. The combination set forth in claim 9 wherein said lever recess further includes a cushion on said forwardly projecting plate portion for engaging said lever, and a hardened steel plate located rearwardly of said cushion, said rear end portion of each of said levers comprising a circular segment having a diameter substantially equal to the spacing between said hardened steel plate and the adjacent valve body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,551,445 5/ 1951 Lindsay 137-624.22 2,837,118 6/1958 Allen 137-624.22 X 3,211,168 10/1965 Irwin 137-315 3,246,668 4/ 1966 Hirsch 137-315 CLARENCE R. GORDON, Primary Examiner U.S. Cl. X.R. 137-624.18 

1. IN A GLASSWARE FORMING MACHINE OF THE TYPE HAVING A MAIN VALVE BODY IN WHICH A PLURALITY OF PNEUMATIC CONTROL VALVES ARE ARRANGED FOR TIMED OPERATION IN RESPONSE TO ROTATION OF AN ADJACENT TIMING DRUM, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING A PLURALITY OF VALVE OPERATING LEVERS, EACH OF SAID LEVERS HAVING A FIRST PORTION WHICH IS ENGAGEABLE WITH A TAPPET FACE ON ONE OF SAID VALVES AND A SECOND PORTION WHICH IS ENGAGEABLE WITH A CAMMING BUTTON ON SAID TIMING DRUM, EACH OF SAID LEVERS HAVING A REAR END PORTION WHICH IS SLIDABLY RECEIVED IN A FORWARDLY OPEN RECESS DEFINED IN SAID VALVE BODY, SAID LEVER REAR END PORTIONS BEING SO SHAPED AS TO PERMIT LIMITED PIVOTAL MOVEMENT OF SAID LEVERS AS WELL AS SAID FORWARD SLIDING MOVEMENT THEREOF, AND GUIDE MEANS CARRIED BY SAID VALVE BODY FOR ENGAGING THE FORWARD ENDS OF SAID LEVERS DURING SAID LIMITED PIVOTAL MOVEMENT THEREOF SO AS TO RESTRAIN SAID LEVERS FROM MOVING FORWARDLY OUT OF SAID RECESS. 